A paper straw comprising a flexible portion

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to a paper straw comprising a flexible portion having a compressed and an extended state, wherein the paper straw comprises a stretchable paper. The disclosure also relates to a drinking kit comprising the paper straw and to a process and a machine equipment for manufacturing the paper straw.

1 . A paper straw ( 200 ) comprising a lower portion ( 201 ), an upper portion ( 202 ), and a flexible portion ( 203 ) arranged between said lower ( 201 ) and upper ( 202 ) portions, characterized in that said flexible portion ( 203 ) has a compressed state and an extended state; the length of said straw ( 200 ) being larger in said extended state compared to said compressed state, wherein said paper straw ( 200 ) comprises a paper having a stretchability according to ISO 1924-3:2005 of at least 6% in the machine direction (MD) and at least 6% in the cross direction (CD). 
     
     
         2 . A paper straw ( 200 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said paper straw ( 200 ) can be arranged in a straight configuration and in a curvilinear configuration, wherein in said straight configuration, said paper straw ( 200 ) has a rotational symmetry with respect to a longitudinal axis, Z, and wherein in said curvilinear configuration, the angle between the end point of said upper portion of said paper straw ( 200 ) and said longitudinal axis, Z, is from 130 to 180 degrees. 
     
     
         3 . A paper straw ( 200 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said paper straw ( 200 ) can be arranged in a straight configuration and in a substantially u-shaped configuration. 
     
     
         4 . A paper straw ( 200 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said paper has a stretchability according to ISO 1924-3:2005 of at least 9% in at least one of the machine direction (MD) and the cross direction (CD). 
     
     
         5 . A paper straw ( 200 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said paper has a tensile energy absorption (TEA) index according to ISO 1924-3:2005 of at least 3.5 J/g in the machine direction (MD) and/or at least 2.9 J/g in the cross direction (CD). 
     
     
         6 . A paper straw ( 200 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said paper straw ( 200 ) has grammage of from 250 to 500 gsm. 
     
     
         7 . A paper straw ( 200 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said paper straw ( 200 ) is formed from 2 to 5 plies of said paper. 
     
     
         8 . A paper straw ( 200 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said paper straw ( 200 ) has an outer diameter of from 3 to 7 mm. 
     
     
         9 . A paper straw ( 200 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the length of said flexible portion ( 203 ) in said extended state corresponds to from 8 to 20% of the length of said paper straw ( 200 ) in said extended state. 
     
     
         10 . A paper straw ( 200 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the length of said paper straw ( 200 ) in said extended state is at least 10% larger than the length of said paper straw ( 200 ) in said compressed state. 
     
     
         11 . A paper straw ( 200 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said flexible portion ( 203 ) comprises of from 8 to 14 corrugated sections ( 205 ), formed from the sidewalls ( 208 ) of said paper straw ( 200 ). 
     
     
         12 . A paper straw ( 200 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a surface of said paper straw ( 200 ) comprises a liquid impermeable coating. 
     
     
         13 . A drinking kit ( 300 ) comprising a liquid container ( 301 ), and a paper straw ( 200 ,  302 ) according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . A drinking kit ( 300 ) according to  claim 13 , wherein said paper straw ( 200 ,  302 ) is attached to an outer surface ( 304 ) of said liquid container ( 301 ) in a substantially u-shaped configuration. 
     
     
         15 . A machine equipment for manufacturing a paper straw ( 200 ,  302 ) according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 a) means for providing an elongated paper tube ( 501 )   b) means for cutting ( 506 ) said elongated paper tube into a plurality of shorter paper tubes   c) means ( 400 ) for forming a flexible portion ( 203 ) in said paper tubes, characterized in that said means ( 400 ) for forming said flexible portion ( 203 ) comprises:
 a first set of mandrels ( 401 ), wherein at least one mandrel ( 402 ) of said first set of mandrels ( 401 ) comprises a tip ( 403 ) and a base ( 404 ) and a structured portion ( 405 ) arranged between said tip ( 403 ) and said base ( 404 ), 
 a second set of mandrels ( 406 ) arranged opposite of and at a distance from said first set of mandrels ( 401 ), wherein the mandrels of said first ( 401 ) and second ( 406 ) sets of mandrels are arranged to enter said paper tube from opposite directions, 
 an elongated plate ( 407 ) having a surface portion ( 408 ) corresponding to and arranged to contact said structured portion ( 405 ) of said mandrel(s) ( 402 ) of said first set of mandrels ( 401 ), 
   wherein at least one of said mandrels ( 402 ) of said first set of mandrels ( 401 ) has a rotational symmetry with respect to a longitudinal axis, Z, and wherein said structured portion ( 405 ) comprises at least a first circumferential protrusion ( 409 ) defined between at least a first ( 410 ) and a second ( 414 ) recessed portion, wherein said first protrusions(s) ( 409 ) has a first sidewall ( 411 ) extending from said first recessed portion ( 410 ) to an edge point ( 412 ) of said first protrusion ( 409 ) at an angle, α, with respect to said longitudinal axis, Z of between 45 and 60 degrees and a second sidewall ( 413 ) extending from said second recessed portion ( 414 ) to said edge point ( 412 ) of said first protrusion ( 409 ) at an angle, β, of between 80 and 90 degrees.   
     
     
         16 . A machine equipment according to  claim 15 , wherein the maximum outer diameter of said first protrusion ( 409 ) corresponds to the diameter of said mandrel ( 402 ) of said first set of mandrels ( 401 ). 
     
     
         17 . A machine equipment according to  claim 15 , wherein at least one mandrel ( 402 ) of said first set of mandrels ( 401 ) comprises from 8 to 13 circumferential protrusions ( 409 ), and from 9 to 14 recessed portions ( 410 ). 
     
     
         18 . A machine equipment according to  claim 15 , wherein at least one mandrel ( 415 ) of said second set of mandrels ( 406 ) is arranged to be pushed against at least one oppositely arranged mandrel ( 402 ) of said first set of mandrels ( 401 ) such that a paper tube arranged on said mandrel ( 402 ) of said first set of mandrels ( 401 ) is subject to endwise compression. 
     
     
         19 . A machine equipment according to  claim 15 , wherein said means for providing an elongated paper tube ( 500 ) comprises:
 a pin ( 501 ) onto which 2 to 5 plies of paper may be winded to form a paper tube, and   a heating element ( 503 ) extending between an open inlet portion ( 504 ) and an open outlet portion ( 505 ), wherein said heating element ( 503 ) is arranged at a distance, b 1 , of from 10 to 50 cm from the tip ( 506 ) of said pin ( 501 ).   
     
     
         20 . A machine equipment according to  claim 15 , wherein said means for cutting ( 507 ) said elongated paper tube into a plurality of shorter paper tubes comprises a rotatable single knife ( 508 ). 
     
     
         21 . A process for manufacturing a paper straw ( 200 ,  302 ) comprising a lower portion ( 201 ), an upper portion ( 202 ), and a flexible portion ( 203 ) arranged between said lower ( 201 ) and upper ( 202 ) portions, said process comprising:
 a) providing an elongated paper tube comprising a paper having a stretchability according to ISO 1924-3:2005 of at least 6% in the machine direction (MD) and at least 6% in the cross direction (CD)   b) cutting said paper tube into plurality of shorter paper tubes   c) forming a flexible portion ( 203 ) in at least one of said paper tubes, wherein said flexible portion ( 203 ) has a compressed state and an extended state, wherein the length of said paper straw ( 200 ,  302 ) is larger in said extended state compared to said compressed state.